The Basic Empathy Scale: Evidence of Internal Structure in the Brazilian Context

Abstract This study aimed to investigate evidence for the internal structure of the 20 item Basic Empathy Scale (BES-20), and verify the parameters of each of its items. The participants totaled 300 subjects from the community sample who answered both the BES-20 and demographic questions. The results indicated a two-factor measure involving: affective empathy (α = .84 and ω =.84) and cognitive empathy (α =.84 and ω =.84). Analyses using Item Response Theory demonstrated that the items of the BES-20 properly discriminated between participants, requiring low levels of latent trait for agreement/checking-off responses in each category. In addition, we developed a 10 item (short-form) version (BES-10) which when compared to the full version yielded equivalent psychometric parameters and information scores. Overall, both the BES-20 and BES-10 were confirmed as qualified for psychometric use in future studies to measure empathy in Brazil.